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Another application of the Coase Theorem?
The Coase Theorem is the idea that voluntary transactions are an economically efficient way of solving the problem of harmful effects (or “negative externalities” in the patois of professional economics jargon) and that the outcome of such private bargaining is … Continue reading
Leaking the leakers
Would you feel any differently about the actions of Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald, or Julian Assange if you knew what they really thought? Sean Wilentz, a historian at Princeton University, poses this intriguing question in this exposé in the latest issue of the … Continue reading
What is the probability that a bill in Congress will become law?
Yes, it’s less than 0.01. Hat tip to Ezra Klein, editor of Wonkblog.
What common law rule or general legal principle would you retire?
Res ipsa loquitur? The rule against perpetuities? Sovereign immunity? Also, what criteria or decision rule would you use in determining which legal rule or principle is ready for retirement? FYI, these questions are inspired by this year’s Annual Question at … Continue reading
Small Sample Size?
Are babies capable of engaging in deception? This study on “fake crying” in babies addresses a fascinating research question–the strategic use of deception by babies to get attention. From the abstract: Two infants were observed longitudinally. In total, 102 crying episodes … Continue reading
Every airline flight around the world during a single 24-hour day
Hat tips: Max Fisher; AirTraffic LIVE (Zurcher Hochschule school of Engineering).
Map of Manhattan Island
New York City, the city that never sleeps, is one of the greatest cities in the world, especially the Island of Manhattan, but what is your favorite neighborhood in the City? (According to the map below, there are over 40 separate neighborhoods … Continue reading
Sunday puzzle
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find the shortest possible route connecting the three corners or vertices of an equilateral triangle, as shown in the illustration below: Hint: in searching for the shortest possible route connecting … Continue reading
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No Internet Week
That is the title of this provocative film project. So, my fellow web friends, could you survive a week with no internet? (Or, while we’re at it, with no cable TV?) Consider the upside: The first thing that struck me after a day … Continue reading
Self-explanatory?
This is a “GDP map” of the US in which each State is renamed for a country with a similar level of economic output or GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Although GDP is an imperfect and crude measure of economic prosperity, this … Continue reading
